Category Archives: Romanesque/Tuscan Names

The name is derived from the Biblical Hebrew male name, יוֹסֵף (Yosef).

In the Old Testament, the name is borne by the first son of Rachel and the eleventh son of Jacob. After being sold off as a slave by his brothers, Joseph ended up in Egypt, later becoming an important advisor to the pharoah.

In the New Testament, it is borne by the husband of the Virgin Mary. Known as St. Joseph among Catholics, he is a particularly revered saint among Italian Catholics, considered the patron saint of stepfathers and carpenters.

Another important character with this name in the New Testament, is Joseph of Arimathea, a disciple of Christ and also the man who provided a burial spot for Jesus after his death.

The name has always been very prevalent throughout Europe and the Middle East.

In the United States, its popularity can be due to several factors: it was common among both various Christian and Jewish immigrants. The name is even very common among Muslim families.

Currently, Joseph is the 20th most popular male name in the United States, (2010). In fact, Joseph has never ranked outside of the Top 20. Common English nicknames are Joe and Joey. His rankings in other countries are as follows:

# 1 (Yusif, Azerbaijan, 2012)

# 1 (Yusuf, Turkey, 2010)

# 2 (Yusuf, Tajikistan, 2009)

# 2 (Youssef, Tunisia)

# 3 (Yousef, Arab-World, 2011)

# 4 (José, Equitorial Guinea, 2011)

# 5 (Joosep, Estonia, 2011)

# 5 (Isle of Man, 2009)

# 5 (Yousouf, Israel, among Muslim and Christian boys, 2010)

# 5 (José, Philippines, 2011)

# 5 (Jose, Puerto Rico, 2010)

# 7 (Youssef, Morocco)

# 8 (Josip, Croatia, 2010)

# 8 (Yosef, Israel, among Druze boys, 2004)

# 9 (Yosef, Israel, among Jewish boys, 2010)

# 14 (Giuseppe, Italy, 2010)

# 15 (England/Wales, 2010)

# 16 (Joseph/Giuseppe, Malta, 2010)

# 29 (Northern Ireland, 2010)

# 36 (New Zealand, 2010)

# 37 (Ireland, 2010)

# 41 (Australia, NSW, 2010)

# 41 (József, Hungary, 2010)

# 43 (José, Spain, 2010)

# 44 (Scotland, 2010)

# 51 (José, United States, 2010)

# 62 (Josef, Sweden, 2010)

# 68 (Josip, Bosnia & Herzegovina, 2010)

# 68 (Josep, Catalonia, 2010)

# 71 (José, Catalonia, 2010)

# 74 (Canada, BC, 2010)

# 149 (France, 2009)

Other forms of the name include:

Josef (Afrikaans)

Isuf (Albanian)

Jozef/Jozif (Albanian:Zef is a diminutive form)

Sepp(Alsatian)

Hovsep Հովսեփ(Armenian)

Yūsuf/Youssef/Yussefيوسف, (Arabic)

Yusif/Yusuf/Usub(Azeri)

Joseba/Josepe(Basque)

Joseph ДЖО́ЗЕФ(Belarusian/English/German/French)

Josip(Bosnian/Croatian:Joso, Jozo and Joško are diminutive forms)

Jusuf(Bosnian)

Yosif Йосиф(Bulgarian)

Josep (Catalan, Pep is a common diminutive form)

Ghjaseppu (Corsican)

Jozèf(Creole/Haitian)

Josef (Czech)

Joep(Dutch: originally a diminutive form, now used as an independent given name)

Joop(Dutch: originally a diminutive form, used as an independent given name)

Joost (Dutch: originally a diminutive form, now used as an independent given name)

Its more common feminine form of Josephine became prevalent throughout Europe at the end of the 18th-century and at the beginning of the 19th-century, due to the popularity of Josephine Bonaparte, (1763-1814), the wife of Napoleon.

Originally, Joséphine was a French diminutive form of Josèphe. Joséphine became the standard form around the same time Josephine Bonaparte became famous and has remained the more common French feminine form of Joseph, since.

Currently, in the United States, she is the 186th most popular female name, (2010). In the Netherlands, she was the 153rd most popular female name, (2010).

Other feminine forms include:

Jozefina(Albanian)

Josepa(Catalan: diminutive is Pepa)

Josipa (Croatian)

Josefa(Czech/Portuguese/Spanish)

Josefina (Czech)

Jozefien(Dutch)

Joetta (English)

Josephina/Josephine(English)

Josefiina (Finnish)

Josée(French)

Josèphe (French)

Joséphine (French)

Josette(French)

Josefine(German/Danish)

Josepha(German)

Iosiphina Ιωσηφίνα(Greek: Modern)

Jozefa (Hungarian/Slovene)

Jósefína (Icelandic)

Seosaimhín (Irish-Gaelic)

Giosetta (Italian)

Giuseppa/Giuseppina (Italian)

Iosephina (Latin)

Ġużeppa(Maltese: Ġuża is the diminutive form)

Józefa(Polish)

Józefina (Polish)

Jožefina/Jožefa/Joža (Slovene)

Jožica(Slovene: originally a diminutive form, now used as an independent given name)

The name is composed of the Anglo-Saxon elements, ead (rich; waelthy) and weard (guard). Due to the popularity of St. Edward the Confessor, the name was one of the few Anglo-Saxon names to have survived the Norman Conquest and to have spread to non-Anglo-Saxon countries.

The name has remained common in the British Royal Family.

As of 2010, Edward was the 43rd most popular male name in England/Wales. His rankings in other countries, in his various forms, are as follows:

The name is a franconized form of the German name, Ludwig, which is composed of the ancient Germanic elements, hlud (fame) and wig (warrior). The name is a cognate of the Frankish male name Chlodovech or Clovis.

It was a very popular name among the French monarchs, being borne by 18 kings of France, one of whom was canonized as a saint.

The name was introduced into England after the Norman Conquest and was usually rendered as Lewis. The name fell out of usage after the Protestant Reformation and was revived in 19th-century America, the more popular form being its French counterpart of Louis.

In France, the name fell out of usage after the French Revolution but immediately gained popularity by the 19th-century remaining a French classic.

As of 2009, Louis was the 4th most popular male name in France and the 5th most popular in Belgium. His rankings in other countries are as follows:

Anne is possibly one of the quintessential classic English and French female names. Prior to the 18th-century, it seems that every other girl born in England was either named Anne, Janeor Mary. There were several British and French queens who bore this simplistic moniker, including the ill fated Anne Boleyn, the mother of Elizabeth I. The history of Anne is rather long and complicated.

It was foremost popularized through the cult of St. Anne, a legendary figure who was said to be the mother of the Virgin Mary and the grandmother of Christ.

In Brittany, the name became especially popular because it happened to coincide with the name of an ancient Celtic goddess, her cult being replaced by St. Anne’s. In fact, it was borne by one Breton Princess, Anne of Brittany.

The name was introduced into Britain by the French-Normans after the invasion in 1066. Previously, there had been a minor Saxon king named Anna, but in this case the name is related to the Saxon arn (eagle). Anna and Anne are still occasionally used as male given names in Friesland.

Other than the apocryphal saint, the name Anne can be traced directly back to the Bible. In the New Testament, it is the name of a prophetess who predicts the Crucifixion of Christ.

Anna (Αννα), is the Greek translation of the early Hebrew Channah חַנָּה,usually transliterated as Hannah, meaning “grace.”

Hannahis borne in the Old Testament by the faithful mother of the prophet, Samuel.

Hannah has always been popular among Jewish families, but was virtually unheard of among non-Jews before the Reformation, except in some cases where it may have been used as a diminutive form of Johanna, spelled Hanna.

It was the Byzantines who had introduced the Annaform to the world, making it popular throughout Eastern and Southern Europe. It was a very popular name among the Byzantine royal family and it was borne by the majestic Anna of Byzantium.

Anna may be the more melodic form of the bunch, but Anne’s minimalistic qualities are charming. Short, to the point, no frills. It’s not a bad name, though it does lack some spice, which is why parents are probably more attracted to its more exotic alternatives. In fact, Anne only comes in at # 608 in the top 1000 female names of the United States. It is safe to say, however, that she is very much loved in the middle name spot.

Anna is currently one of the most popular female names in Europe and abroad. Her rankings are as follows:

Hanna without an H is the prefered form on Continental Europe, usually pronounced (HAHN-nah) and in French like Anna. Hanna and Hanne (HAHN-neh) are also used as diminutive forms of Johanna/Johanne in the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Germany. There is the Hungarian Hajna pronounced (HOY-no). The Czech/Slovak form of Hana nickname Hanka. There are the Yiddish forms of Heyna, Hayna, Hejna (all pronounced like HAY-nah) including the diminutive forms of Hena, Hende, Hendel and Henye. The Polish diminutive form of Hania, which might make an interesting alternative to Anya or Hannah. Hannah, Hanna and Henna are all used in the Middle East.

Of course, how could we ever forget the popular diminutive forms of Annie and Nan.

The name is derived from the Latin Roman family name, Paulus, which could translate as meaning, “small, short; humble; few.”

Paul and his various forms has to be one of the most common male names used throughout the Christian world. It has been used equally among Orthodox Christians, Roman Catholics and Protestants.

Its most famous bearer was Paul of Tarsus, whose real name wasSaul. St. Paul, as referred to by the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, is attributed as being the author of much of the New Testament.

The name was borne by several popes, royals and saints thereafter.

Currently, its Germanic form of Paul is the 8th most popular male name in Germany, (2011). His rankings in other countries are as follows:

The name is composed of the Germanic elements, maht meaning, “might, strength” and hild meaning, “battle.”

In the English speaking world, the name has existed since Anglo-Saxon times, in the form of Mæðhilde but the Anglo-Norman forms of Matilda and Maud had replaced the former by the 10th-century.

The name was so common among the Norman aristocracy that it took on the reputation as a “Norman name.” The Normans extended their power throughout Western Europe and introduced the name to non-Germanic countries such as Italy, Spain, France and Portugal.

The name was borne by several medieval personages, who include:

St. Matilda (895-968), the first wife of Henry I the Fowler and mother of Otto I. The details of her life are recorded in the Res Gestae Saxonicae, (Deeds of the Saxons), as well as in the vita antiquior and in the vita posterior. Despite her royal lineage, St. Matilda was known for her piety and charity.

It was later borne by the wife of William I the Conquer, Matilda of Flanders, also known as Maud Le-Vieux, (1031-1083).

In Italian history, it was borne by Countess Matilda of Tuscany (1046-1115), who was known for her support for Pope Gregory VII and for her military exploits.

Edith of Scotland, (1080-1118), changed her name to Matilda upon marrying Henry I of England.

Another English queen who bore the name was Matilda of Boulogne, (1104-1152), wife of Stephen of England. It was also borne by the daughter of Henry II of England, Matilda, the Duchess of Saxony (1156-1189).

In Portugal, it was borne by their first queen-consort, Matilda of Savoy (1125-1158).

Maud was a common vernacular form used more frequently among the lower classes in both England and France. Maud is believed to have originated among the Low Germans since Matilda of Flanders, (who introduced this form of the name), was the daughter of Baldwin of Flanders. Also, in Medieval Dutch and Flemish, when a t appeared between two vowels, it was usually dropped, hence the creation of Maud.

The name was prevalent in England until the end of the 15th-century and was revived at the end of the 19th-century. The name was considered rather old fashioned between the mid to the latter part of the 20th-century, but is now suddenly rising in popularity in several countries.

Currently, in England, she is the 43rd most popular female name, (2008). Her rankings in other countries are as follows:

# 14 (Australia, 2008)

# 53 (Chile, 2006)

# 26 (France, 2006)

# 485 (the Netherlands, 2009)

# 25 (Norway, 2009)

# 25 (Sweden, 2009)

# 828 (the United States, 2008)

Its diminutive offshoot of Tilly is currently the 93rd most popular female name in the United Kingdom, (2008).

Since it is the beginning of the year, I thought I would start doing the most popular names of 2008.

In the United States, Jacob is currently the most popular male name, coming in at # 1 in 2008.

Actually, Jacob has held on to the number 1 spot, for the last decade, since 1999. The lowest that Jacob has ever ranked in U.S. naming history was back in 1967 ranking in at # 353.

Jacob’s rankings in other countries are as follows:

# 21 (Australia, 2007)

# 3 (Canada, B.C., 2008)

# 20 (England/Wales, 2008)

# 94 (Ireland, 2007)

# 122 (the Netherlands, 2008)

# 89 (Norway, 2007)

# 79 (Scotland, 2008)

# 29 (Sweden, 2007)

Jacob is a Biblical name of Hebrew origin, borne by an important Jewish patriarch, the meaning of the name is somewhat debated. Though many sources agree that it is derived from the Hebrew ‎עקב (aqab; aqav), which means “to seize by the heel”, “to circumvent” or ” to restrain” and may possibly be a word-play of the Hebrew עקבה‎ (iqqebah; iqqbah) meaning, “heel,” since in the Bible, Jacob was born holding onto the heel of his twin brother Esau. In Hebrew, the act of holding the heel was associated with deception, so the name has been suggested to take on the meaning of “deception.”

Other sources have suggested it to mean “may God protect”, being a derivative of the Hebrew יַעֲקֹבְאֵל (Ya’aqov’el).

In the Bible, Jacob was the younger twin son of Rebekah and Isaac, by deceiving his elder brother Esau into selling his birthright, Jacob received his father’s blessing before Isaac’s death.

Jacob later became the father of the twelve tribes of Israel.

His episode of dreaming of a ladder to heaven is called “Jacob’s Ladder” and his wrestling with the angel, after which God gave Jacob the name of Israel ,meaning, “struggles with God” or “God contended.”

The name later appears in the New Testament by several other characters, one of them being the name of the Apostle James, (also known as Jacob since both names are related).

In English, both Jacob and James are derived from the Biblical Greek, Ιακωβος (Iakobos) later being latinized to Iacomus, (from which James is an anglicized a corruption).

James and Jacob have been used in England interchangeably since the Middle Ages, James became a common name in English and Scottish royalty.

Currently, James is the 17th most popular male name in the United States, the highest he has peaked was between 1940 and 1952, coming in at # 1. The lowest he has peaked was at # 19 in 1999 and then again in 2001.

James has never detracted from the U.S. top 20.

In other countries, his rankings are as follows:

# 8 (Australia, 2007)

# 10 (Canada, B.C., 2008)

# 9 (England/Wales, 2008)

# 5 (Ireland, 2007)

# 332 (the Netherlands, 2008)

# 5 (Scotland, 2008)

The designated name-days for Jacob are December 20 (France), July 25.

Other forms of both names include:

Jakob (Afrikaans/Danish/Dutch/German/Norwegian/Slovene/Swedish: 12th most popular male name in Slovenia-2005; 39th most popular in Norway-2007 and the 3o9th most popular in the United States-2008)

Japku/Jakup/Jakub/Jakob/Jakov (Albanian)

Ya’eqob (Amharic/Ethiopian)

يعقوب Yaʿqūb/Yakub (Arabic)

Chaime (Aragonese)

Ya`iqob/Ukba/Ukva ያዕቆብ (Aramaic)

Hagop/Hakob/Jakob Հակոբ/Յակոբ (Armenian)

Aqob/Jakobos (Assyrian)

Yəqub (Azeri)

Jacobe/Jagoba/Jakes/Jakoma/Yaku/Yagoba/Xanti (Basque)

Jåggl (Bavarian)

Jakub/Jakaŭ/Jakuš (Bielorusian)

Jakub (Bosnian/Polish/Slovak/Slovene/Sorbian: common Polish diminutive forms are Kuba and Kubuś)

Jacut/Jagu/Jagut/Jak/Jakez/Jakezig/Jakou (Breton)

Yakov/Zhekov Жеков (Bulgarian)

Iacovo/Iacoviello/Coviello (Calabrian: Southern Italian dialect)

Jacob (Catalan/Dutch/English/Lexumburgish/Limburgish/Portuguese)

Jaume/Jaumet (Catalan)

Jacca/Jago/Jamma/Jammes (Cornish)

Giacumu (Corsican)

Jakov/Jako Јаков (Croatian/Serbian/Slovene)

Jákob (Czech/Hungarian: Kuba and Kubík are the diminutive forms)

Jacobus/Jakobus (Dutch/Limburgish: Jacobus is currently the 233rd most popular male name in the Netherlands-2008)

Coos/Kobe/Kobus/Jaap (Dutch: initially diminutive forms, used as independent given names)

Coby (English: originally a diminutive form, now used as an independent given name. He currently ranks in as the 832nd most popular male name-2008)

Seamus/Séamus (Irish-Gaelic: SHAY-mus: Séimí and Séimín are diminutive forms. Currently the 748th most popular male name in the United States)

Giacobbe (Italian)

Giacomo (Italian: more common form)

Jacopo (Italian: archaic form)

Aqo/Ya’qub (Kurd)

Iacobus/Iacomus/Jacobus (Latin)

Jēkabs (Latvian)

Jaokob (Limburgish)

Cobus/Keub/Keube/Kuub/Kuèb (Limburgish: initially diminutive forms, now used as independent given names)

Zjaak/Jaco (Limburgish: initially diminutive forms, now used as independent given names)

Jokūbas (Lithuanian)

Jakov/Jakle/Jako (Macedonian)

Chacko/Yakob (Malayalam)

Ġakbu (Maltese)

Jayms (Manx)

Hemi (Maori)

Sak (Mohawk)

Jacuvo/Jacuviello/Cuviello (Neopolitan: Southern Italian dialect)

Gemme/Gemmes/Jacque (Norman)

Jacme (Occitanian/Provençal)

Jammes/Jaume (Occitanian)

Iakovu Іакѡвъ (Old Church Slavonic)

Yaghoub (Persian)

Giaco (Piedmontese: Northern Italian dialect)

Diogo (Portuguese: variation of Tiago)

Iago (Portuguese)

Jacó (Portuguese)

Jácomo (Portuguese)

Jaime (Portuguese/Spanish: Jaime is currently the 321st most popular male name in the United States-2008. He is the 97th most popular in Chile-2006 and the 33rd most popular in Spain-2006)

Thiago (Portuguese-Brazilian)

Tiago (Portuguese-European: a contraction of the Spanish Santiago, which literally means “Saint James”)

Köbes (Ripoarisch)

Iacob (Romanian)

Jacomo (Romanesque: a Northern Italian dialect spoken in the region of Tuscany)

Giachem/Giachen/Jachen (Romansch)

Giacumin (Romansch)

Yakov Иаков/Яков (Russian: Yasha is a diminutive form)

Iakopo (Samoan)

Hamish (Scottish-Gaelic: an anglicization of Seumas)

Jaikie (Scottish-Gaelic)

Jamie (Scottish: low lands Scots contraction, currently the 669th most popular male name in the United States; the 17th most popular male name in Scotland-2008; the 51st most popular in England and Wales-2008; 17th most popular in Ireland-2007; the 12st most popular in the Netherlands and the 96th most popular in Australia)

Seumas (Scottish-Gaelic)

Simidh (Scottish-Gaelic)

Jaka (Slovene: this was the 10th most popular male name in Slovenia-2005)

Diego (Spanish: a contraction of Santiago. Diego currently ranks in as the 68th most popular male name in the United States-2008. In Belgium he is the 48th-2006; in Chile, the 7th-2006; in France the 78-2006. In the Netherlands he comes in as the 189th most popular male name-2008 and in Spain he is the 10th most popular male name-2006 )

Santiago (Spanish: literally meaning “Saint James” the name is usually bestowed in honour of St. James the Apostle. Currently, it is the 171st most popular male name in the United States. In Chile, he is the 55th most popular-2006 and in Spain, the 66th most popular-2006)

Yago (Spanish: archaic form)

Yakubu (Swahili)

Köbi (Swiss-German dialectical diminutive form, occasionally used as an independent given name)